Tractor-mounted scraper



Aug. 30, 1932. R, G. LE TOURNEAU TRACTOR MOUNTED SCRAPER Filed Jan. 5, 1931 INVENTOR R (i, L@ Ibai/nem 'Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED -.s'rrxlariA PATE-NT orrlcl:v

ROBERT LE TOURNEAU, F STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA TRACTOR-MOUNTED SURAPER Appncatibn' mea January s, 1931. serial No. masso.

This invention relates to Scrapersy adapted to be drawn by a tractor, the principal object of my invention being" to provide an implement of .this general character arranged to be rigidly connected to a tractor against relative freedom of movement laterally or in a horizontal plane, and so as to be close to the. tractor'. The scraper therefore moves as a unit with the tractor and can be successfully and eiliciently used in cramped quarters, or in places where it would be impossible orgimpracticable to use the usual iexibly connected tractor and scraper units. At the same time the scraper is mounted land arranged to be readily moved vertically .relativeto the tractor,\so that it can be raised clear of the ground and to such an extent as to enable the tractor to be connected to other implements, without interference from the scraper and without detaching the latter. f

vA further object of the invention is to pro- CD A duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly ei'ective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such `structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of thel following specification and claims.

' In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding v parts in the several views:

Fig. lis a perspectiveview of my scraper as in operation Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same as fully raised.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section showing the mounting of one of the scraper arms on the tractor.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the scraper comprises side, bottom, and back plates 1, 2, and 3, respectively, which are rigidly connected together and form the dirt engaging bowl whose width is substantially equal to that of they tractor to which the scraper is to be connected. The back and bottom plates contact with eachother at right angles and a false concavely curved bottom plate 4 extends inside and is rigidly connected to the bowl-plates from adjacent the toplof the back the forward end of the bottom plate.

This curved plate provides a curved' surface for engagement with the dirt and also braces the main back and bottom plates and itself against deflection. The side plates extendsome distance in front of thel bottom plate so as to confine the dirt for a certain distancev ahead of the cutting o'r forward edge of the bottom plate.

Rigidly secured to and disposed inside the s1 e plates are opposed tension arms', of

hollow box-beam construction and arranged -so as to substantially bisect the angle ,between may extend beyond the ends of the shaft,

gives larger bearing surfaces for engagement with th`e arm journakboxes than would otherwise vbe the case.

The arms are disposed relative to the bowl so that when the scraper engages the ground, said arms are substantially horizontal. The bottom plates then extend at an upward rearward angle and the bottom edges of the side plates in front ofthe bottom plates are substantially parallel to and on a level with the ground, as shown in Fig. 1. The arms are relatively short so that the scraper is close to the tractor. The scraper will thus 'not only closely follow the turning movements of the tractor, .but provides a unit with the tractor which can obviously be operated within relatively narrow confines.

To raise and lower the scraper I provide the following means: A rigid Vderrick structure 11 is erected on the tractor at its rear end, on the upper end of which is mounted a sheave block 12. Another sheave block 13 is mounted in transverse alinement with the block 12 on a rigid cross-beam 1i which is secured on too of the bowl at the back of the same. A cab e 15 extendsfrom a Winding drum 16 on the back of the tractor to the block 12 and thence to the block 13. ,The 5 cable engages the sheavesof said blocks in such a'. marmer that with a winding of the cable onto the drum the scraper vwill beA raised, turning ofcourse on the pivotal con-- nections of the'arms with the shaft 9 as an 10 axis. The winding drum v is preferaog a part of the power unit structure s ho in my copending aplication for patent, Serial No.v512,979 filed. ebruary 2, 1931. v

-The length of the arms relative to the l5 height of the derrick and the position of the sheave blocks on the respective parts is such that when-the scraper is raised to its full limit, the sheave blocks are substantially in horizontal alinement with each other, and 2Q the arms 5 approach a vertical position. With the scraper in this position it projects but little rearwardly of 'the tractor andthe rear end of the latter is freely exposed lbelow the scraper, allowing the tractor to be con- $5-, nected to 'another implement if desired.

Fromthe foregoin description it will be readi1y seen that I ave produced such' a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. f

While this eciiication sets forth in detail the present an l preferred construction of the device, still in'practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims. y

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful land desire' to se- 'cure by Letters Patent is: o 1 1. The combination with a tractor, of rigid arms pivoted to the tractor adjacent the rear end thereof and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a Sci'pr rigidly mounted o n the outer ends of the arns whereby the arms and scrapcrwill move asa-unit with the;.tractor through any lateral movements of such tractor, and means to swing the arms and scraper upwardly on the pivotal connections to carry the scraper to a position above the tractor mechanism such that other imple-r mentsmay be attached to and drawnfby the tractor without interfering with the tractor. 2. A device as in claim 1 in which the pivotal connections between the ar and. tractor complrise the projecting stubs from the drive w eel shafts of the tractor, relatively long flanged collars thereon andq'ourl nal boxes on the ends of the arms about the collars between the iang'es thereof. e

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU. 

